Hello,  I'm happy to read the thread about my friends, Marion and
Harvey Roehl.  I joined the Musical Box Society (MBS) in the first year
of its existence (I think 1949) when it was founded by Ruth Bornand.
I was 13 then, I am now 75.  I'm not considered a founding member, as
that was confined to those of her friends and customers who attended
a specific meeting, I think in Ohio -- all of whom I got to know, and
have fond memories of all, particularly Ruth B. and Marion and Harvey.

During the 1960s I had a job which took me for a month or more over
several years to Binghamton, New York, which is right next door to
Vestal.  Harvey introduced me to various other interesting folk, as
Q. David Bowers and Ed Link, who lived nearby.  I visited the Roehls
many times, and they and other MBS members came to our home in New
Jersey.

I traveled around the country for the Sheraton Hotels, remaining
a month or so in each city, and I put a small advertisement in
local papers that I was a collector of records, music boxes, etc.,
and would like to contact anyone who knew of such items.  I amassed
a nice collection as a result, and made many new friends.  A number
of the folk were already in MBS or knew of it, and I suggested that
they get together at their various places often and get to know each
other and their various collections.

From that activity grew the chapter arrangement of MBS, which up
to then was made up of folk around greater New York.  I lived near
Morristown, New Jersey, about 25 miles due west of New York City,
halfway between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers.  Harvey was the
only president of MBS who singled me out for recognition for that
contribution, but you will find my name featured a number of times
in the Silver Collection MBS book.

Harvey became a good friend.  He used to set up a display board at
meetings to show the various LP records which he sold through Vestal
Press.  One was an LP I had in collection for years, called "Nostalgia
In HiFi."  Unfortunately, the record company had misspelled one word
as "Nostaglia."  I kidded Harvey, saying I was glad to see that he was
offering the marvelous Italian calliope record.  He laughed, knowing
the joke instantly, and said, "You know Lee, you are the only other
person that ever caught that!"  Being part of my background as writer,
editor and proofreader, errors jump off the printed page at me, even
upside down and backwards!  It's both a talent and a curse.

I, too, wonder what happened to the Roehls' wonderful collection.
I guess, like mine, it was scattered among various other collections.
I'm glad you had the opportunity to visit Marion and Harvey and their
marvelous collection -- wasn't that Fotoplayer unbelievable?  I think
Harvey learned to play piano just so he could perform on that behemoth.

I treasure my friendships from those years, especially such as the
Roehls and the Fitchs (he was president and the two were editors of the
MBS publications which they asked me to proof each edition.  I lived
near Morristown and they in Summit, New Jersey, a few miles away.
Wonderful memories -- I hope you have built up many of the same.

Bestus from Lee Munsick,
Vero Beach, Florida